Jaggery is used to make the Foxtail millet dessert known as thinai adhirasam. For sweet recipes, thinai works best. Adhirasam is one of my favourite foods, and thinai adhirasam is even better.
Ingredients:
Ingredients for the base:-
1+1/4 cups of thinai maavu (foxtail flour) (Refer my thinai murukku post to make flour)
For deep-frying, oil
The syrup:-
3/4 cup jaggery
Water, 18 cup.
1/4 teaspoon of cardamom powder (Aelakkai thool).
1/4 teaspoon of dry ginger powder (Sukku thool)
Adding flavour:-
Ellu/sesame seeds: 1/2 tbsp
Ghee: 1/4 tsp
Method:
Making thinai adhirasam on Day 1
Grate some jaggery, then add 3/4 cup to a pan. Add a tiny bit of water—about 1/8 cup —to it.
Boil until the jaggery has completely dissolved before adding 1/8 tsp. cardamom powder and 1/8 tsp. dry ginger powder.
To remove impurities, filter the syrup. Clean the pan, then add the filtered syrup and bring it to a full boil.
Drop the thickened syrup into a bowl of water. Turn off the stove if you can gather it into a soft ball.
To 12 tbsp of foxtail millet flour, add sesame seeds. To learn how to make thinai flour or maavu, see my thinai murukku post.
Add the jaggery syrup after combining the seeds. If the flour gets too loose, stop adding syrup and stir thoroughly. To achieve the desired consistency, I added the entire syrup. Unlike rice flour, thinai won't absorb as much water. Don't therefore make loose dough.
Make a large ball, then add 1/4 tsp of ghee. Keep covered with a sieve or muslin cloth and don't touch it for 12 to 24 hours at most.
Making thinai adhirasam on Day 2
Knead the ball once more. Create a small ball with your fingers by pinching, rolling it, and then flattening it in your palm.
Put it in the hot oil (medium low heat). Cook until sizzling occurs on both sides. Utilizing a ladle, drain any extra oil.
To squeeze out extra oil, press a flat tavara-like vessel against a ladle. Put it in a piece of tissue. After fully cooling, place in airtight container and consume for one or two weeks.
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